Praying for Glenn Beck

By David Waters Fox Newsevangelist Glenn Beck might be the most prayed for man in America at the moment — … Continued

by David Waters

By David Waters

Fox Newsevangelist Glenn Beck might be the most prayed for man in America at the moment — which could be good news for all of us.

A few weeks ago, Beck urged his conservative Christian followers to pray for his protection. “There is (billionaire George) Soros money now being funneled to stop me. The biggest names, the most powerful people on the planet on the left — I’ve told you before, they’re not going to go away easy . . . Please, keep me in your prayers, keep my staff in your prayers, for safety, for wisdom, please.”

Meanwhile, over on the left, Jim Wallis is asking his fellow progressive Christians to pray for Beck. “It should be no surprise that we strongly disagree with many of Glenn’s views, but we too believe in a God far greater than all of us. So on this point, let’s take Glenn at his word and pray for him to have wisdom as he speaks out on these issues. Tell Glenn you’re praying for him – that he’ll choose hope over fear.”

So maybe neither of those prayer requests are purely nonpartisan. But it does show that Red State Christians and Blue State Christians at least can pray for the same person, if not for the same reasons. That’s progress, right? The culture war-weary among us appreciate any sign of progress among the faithful, especially after reading the new 2009 Religious Activists Survey, which shows just how deeply and fundamentally divided religious activists are in this country.

Here are just a few of the lowlights in the survey of 3,000 conservative and progressive religious activists.

Abortion: 95% of conservative religious activists say abortion should be illegal in all cases (60%) or most cases (35%); 80% of progressive religious activists say abortion should be legal in all (26%) or most (54%) cases.

Gay and Lesbian Issues: 82% of conservatives oppose both same-sex marriage and civil unions; 59% of progressives support same-sex marriage, and 33% support civil unions.

Health Care: 6% of conservatives think that the U.S. should have comprehensive national health insurance; 78% of progressive activists think we do.

Torture: 61% conservatives say torture can often (25%) or sometimes (36%) be justified; 79% of progressives say torture can never be justified.

Priorities: Conservatives said abortion (83%) and same-sex marriage (65%) are the most important issues; progressives chose poverty (74%), health care (67%), and the environment (56%).

We’ve known for awhile that some followers of Jesus veer to his right, others to his left. But why? The researchers from the Bliss Institute of Applied Politics at the University of Akron and Public Religion Research drilled down through the tectonic political plates to get to the core of each side’s belief system.

“Conservatives generally emphasize an individualist approach to solving problems, with an emphasis on personal morality,” the researchers wrote. “Progressive activists are more likely to see the causes of America’s problems in structural terms.”

In other words, conservatives subscribe to a personal salvation gospel, progressives to a social salvation gospel. The difference can be summed up in two statements the researchers gave to activists on both sides of Jesus.

1. “If enough people were brought to Christ, social ills would take care of themselves.”

67% of conservatives agreed, but only 13% of progressives agreed (and 61% of them disagreed).
2. “Social justice is at the heart of all authentic religious values.”

77% of progressives agreed with that one, but only 37% of conservatives agreed.

I’m no theologian, but I wouldn’t be surprised if the Jesus of the four gospels agreed with both of those statements.

So I have an idea. Maybe we can get the Glenn Beck Christians and the Jim Wallis Christians to form a book club. They all can read the same book each month and then discuss it. I’d suggest they start with the Book of Matthew. Then Mark, then Luke, then John.

Who knows? After four months of reading the same books, they all might find themselves on the same page, and start praying for each other.

Years ago the Glenn Beck types ranting and raving was found only behing liquer store dumpsters, homeless centers after Reagan, and before Reagan (closed them) Public Mental Health facities. Now they seem to dominate the TV. thank god I stopped watching in 89

kiler616

as an atheist,i thank the stars i will not go anywhere when i die and wake up to see a welcoming commitee composed of a Rush,or a Hannity,or a Glenn…..Ann Coulter would be nice but only if she’s naked!

David54321

Unfortunately people that call themselves Christians tend to do more talking than action. I don’t remember in what I read in the Bible that Christ did much yelling and screaming, he talked in parables and gave direction through actions not words. May the rest of us learn to follow that example.

Hungerartist

It would be easy to laugh at all of Beck’s crazy rants if they weren’t so successful. This month, in addition to fueling a giant teabagging party in Washington, he got Van Jones to resign as Pres. Obama’s environmental jobs advisor, and he got the NEA’s Yosi Sergant demoted. What next? The satirical National Inquisition speculates “Glenn Beck Fires Entire White House Staff.”

Farnaz1Mansouri1

Beck’s an NT kinda guy. Just following his Christian God, who demands crucifixions. These Christians have been at that sort of thing for a long time. Won’t be stopping soon unless they’re stopped.

Farnaz1Mansouri1

Better idea. Find the Christians an uninhabited peace of land, say, in the Antarctic, and let them thrash it out there. They could build two great Ice Churches, with, perhaps, a tunnel for use in case they make peace. They can send us a cable when they have finished.As for the rest of us, how about legal secularism? Yunno, that whole constitution thing.

thornegp1

“In other words, conservatives subscribe to a personal salvation gospel, progressives to a social salvation gospel.”

papafritz57

Glenn Beck, by his own admission, is a “former” cocaine addict and alcoholic. He proves this every time he opens his mouth with the insane words that come out of it. He believes he is so important, that a man such as Mr. Soros, would care about him. He is suffering from his damaged brain and his delusions of fame. I wouldn’t waste a single prayer on this evil fool. They expose their rotted souls everytime they claim our President is not an American, is a muslim, is planning death panels, is Hitler, and is trying to take over the country. They know they are liars and they relish that knowledge about themselves. Don’t pray for any of them, as they are an affront to God Himself.

vicsoir

Glenn Beck is the poster child example of invincible ignorance.

patrick29

“Conservatives generally emphasize an individualist approach to solving problems, with an emphasis on personal morality,” the researchers wrote.-There is a word for “individualist approach for solving problems”. It is selfish.

ernstge

Firstnof all I am proud atheist. I prefer to use my logic rather than have a book written by a collection of ignorant people jammed down my throat. If I am wrong, than Beck does need the prayers of the faithful. He needs to get back ff hte booze and crack that are controlling his thought processes. Just watch him,. It is obvious this guy is as drug addidcted as Rush. THey don’t need God, they need to get off the sauce.

khote14

Dear god, I will sacrifice a hamster on the altar of Saint Reproducio of Padua if you give Glenn Beck a case of terminal hemorrhoids.

gilbertpb40

I think that we should all pray for Glen Beck’s recovery from the insanity he displays everyday. He is a sad, sad creature and one of the things that makes me most sad is that he is given a forum to fool those ignorant and racist fellow citizens in our midst. Wake up FOX News and realize what your responsibility as a news organization is.

RedRat

Glenn Beck is nothing more than a charlatan and actor on TV. I grant that he puts on a good act, he attracts the right-wingnuts to his show every day. The tears and melodrama are really nothing more than a good act. He really isn’t worth the time, but the wingnuts love him.As to religion and Christianity, isn’t it truly wonderful how you can have these evangelicals who are quite willing to screw their fellow man to the wall six days out of the week, and then go to church on Sunday and roll on the floor and pray for forgiveness in all that they have done, then go right back to where they were on Monday. Truly wonderful. What a religion, you gotta love it.

sjag1

Funny thing about religion and the right and not the left in the USA. A Baptist Minister from the Weyburn Bible College in Saskatechewan ran for office and got passed our universal health, old age and pension reform about 40 years ago. He is considered the most revered Canadian of all time in a country that is not nearly as “churched” as the US. Maybe there a lesson there, maybe the Social Gospel ain’t that bad?

LDAV45

Well reading the Gospels should be a good start for anyone…..maybe it would change a few minds and hearts. I for one dont ” screw their fellow man to the wall six days out of the week”.I will let time take care of the doubts that people have about Christianity or any other religion. ” In time all things will be made clear”. Then we will all KNOW for sure.But I can say this – the vitriol displayed toward persons of faith in this country is viral.Make sure you are on the right side when all the —- hits the fan.

aquawintrade

There are people who try to politicize the religion to use it for their purpose , I can mention some like George Bush and Barack Obama this people are not Christians, they are only people that make fun about it, they close our mind between liberal and conservative thinking and they are doing what they want “to be selfishly rich and famous”, all this is garbage

donaldeasley

David Waters says: “Conservatives generally emphasize an individualist approach to solving problems, with an emphasis on personal morality,” yet they want the government to step in when it comes to social situations that they disagree with. I personally believe that:Conservatives want to use the government to serve their social and security concerns. Otherwise, we’re on our own when it comes to education, health care, and jobs. No matter the cost, they’ve never seen a weapon they didn’t like, to the extent that defense-related items consume more than 50% of our annual budget – more than most other nations combined.I can’t find it in my heart to pray for Beck, Limbaugh, Hannity, Cheney, Bush, Coulter, Malkin, or any of those who flaunt their “Christianity” while their actions speak otherwise. Their brand of Christianity is nothing more than poisonous sacrilege!

theonefisher1

I can’t understand why people are so shocked that his show is successful. Free market. Yeah, that conservative capitalism will get you every time. According to the most recent Gallup pole, conservatives now outnumber liberals in every single state. Why is that? Oh yeah, those are the principles this country was founded on. Yes, conservatives believe in personal salvation. PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY!!!I owe you, nor anyone else anything. I do my part to help the poor and needy. I think the hypocrisy is evident in our president. Liberals push this attitude of taking care of the needy with everyone else’s money is ridiculous. Obama made 1.6 million dollars last year and only gave 14,000 to charity. We have double that on much, much less income.If you don’t like Beck, don’t listen. That is your freedom and your right as a citizen of this great country that you hate.

persiflage

I’m praying that Glenn Beck is tranformed from being a (high paid) celebrated rightwing media glamour nazi, front man for misguided Christian fundamentalists everywhere, and all around horse’s hind end – to a real human being that cares about anything other than fitting the above description. I must say this little prayer at least every hour on the hour, day after day, and so far – nothing. Maybe too informal? Could be I need an actual mantra. OK then. I’m going to try ColoradoDog’s prayer instead – see above. It could be that the Higher Powers actually in charge of making things happen need more specific information – well, here goes: ‘Bless Glenn Beck. Cleanse his heart from his Mormon homophobia, misogyny and racism and………’

rcubedkc

As the christo-fascist religious loon said about Obama, I’ll paraphrase about beck and the rest of the garbage.I don’t want to see beck murdered, we don’t need the right wing loons to have a martyr, I want him to die like ronny reagan, babbling to himself while crapping in his diaper.

dlkimura

I’ve seen Limbaugh’s show once, over a decade and a half ago. He was always fat.I’ve read a column or two of Ann Coulter and she’s not the good witch of the East.But what the heck is a Glenn Beck? I’ve never seen this creature and wonder how something sub-literate and shady in background can stir up so much dust? At least, that’s what I’ve heard. Fox really needs to show more episodes of Family

Wotan2

“BlueTwo1″ wrote, “It has often been said and it is true that God helps those who help themselves.”I’m sure many religious conservatives believe this as a matter-of-fact. Yet, where is that in the Bible?

willemkraal

”Health Care: 6% of conservatives think that the U.S. should have comprehensive national health insurance; 78% of progressive activists think we do.”THIS SHOWS US HOW MUCH CONCERN RITEWING CONSERVATIVES HAVE FOR OUR 47 MILLION UNINSURED FELLOW AMERICANS!!!

Here we are in the 21st century and still dealing with caveman fantasies regarding invisible super-friends who have nothing to do but await to obey our every whim. Unless we evolve past these pre-reason and pre-logic caveman fantasies we are not worth saving and will rightfully go the way of the dinosaur.Religion is a sickness of a weak and feeble mind! It is no wonder that America is now 16th in the world of education.It is time to end the God/Allah/Jehovah self-serving fantasies of the mentally challenged and get on with living in reality!

arancia12

My prayer for Glenn Beck…Dear God in Heaven,Please grant Glenn Beck a long and pleasant cruise to a remote and far away location where prozac and oxycontin are dispensed freely. And make Rush Limbaugh his cabin mate. Lord, hear our prayers.

Taylorsucram

GOD Bless America and no-one else. That is our mantra isn’t it? While we’re asking for GOD’s blessing lets hope he forgives us for bombing the holy land. Didn’t you know that Bagdad is the purported Garden of Eden? And since we’re so sure that GOD plays favorites and is “all-powerfull” let’s put our Health Care in his hands and everybody drop their health insurance. God does work miracles, he allowed G.W.Bush Jr. to be re-elected in spite of the damage to this country in his first four years.

clifton3

Great article and great comments. Glenn must pray and ask God to heal his soul and mind. In the Lord’s Prayer it says: “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us”. Therefore, if Glenn Beck is knowingly doing this to popularize his individualistic fame and fortunes to speak down on people of different views, he will fail on his own.In the next verse of the Lord’s prayer, it says: “Lead us not into temptation”. What are Glenn’s hidden temptations. Is it money and power, a large following, is it some secular or spiritual driver. In Proverbs, God talk about a venomous tongue and Glenn use a venomous tongue and it is hard listen to it.

mtnmanvt

Interesting analysis. What I get from it, which I think is accurate, is that conservatives come from a more individualistic perspective, and progressives see themselves as part of something.Here’s the thing; individualism is a big part of why the “west” is so dysfunctional. Psychologically, individualism (narcissism) is a stage in development that one (hopefully) negotiates and moves beyond, ultimately to a stage of mutuality, where one is concerned about others as well as oneself.If humanity doesn’t evolve past our narcissism, we will destroy ourselves, and along the way a lot of people will “get off” on being very cruel to a lot of other people and to Earth. This is no way for us to conduct ourselves.I wish, more than anything, that people in this country would wake up to the reality that we are all connected, that we affect each other, and that we can choose, overnight, to make this country what we’ve all been taught it could be; just, peaceful, generous. With narcissists in charge we are unjust, violent, and selfish.

Single_Payer

Praying for Beck? Hey, you can’t pray for evil. Such prayers are confound to our atmosphere, and never reach the high society. Thus the saying “He hasn’t got a prayer.” LOL

bobbuild

jaxas…….

cstation

Keep in mind that there are a lot of both liberal and conservative Christians in this country because we are a big place. But when all Christians are considered I wouldn’t be surprised if the majority held opinions somewhere in the middle of these two groups. Because most conservative and liberal leaning believers are not hard line.monty keeling

James10

This is a great article for my proposal and an opportunity to spread it to more participants of the blogs here on Washington Post.There is NO WAY you’re going to bridge that kind of a divide. There is no compromise that anyone would agree with. The only possible solution is to divide the country in a nice civilized way.This United States is progressive/liberal. Just listen to conservatives if you don’t believe it. The conservative [red] states should secede. They could name their country something along the lines of the United States under Jesus Christ. From day one, their Constitution could ban abortion, gay marriage, and labor unions. They could write a Constitution that prohibits the regulation of guns at any time in any place and could even issue assault weapons as a Constitutional requirement to every man, woman and child over the age of 12. They could abolish Federal, State and local taxes. A great start would be the Bible Belt, Tornado Alley and Alaska. Spread the word.

outragex

As a progressive Christian I am disappointed to see how many respondents write words to the effect that “you can’t pray for evil,” “prayers for Beck would be wasted,” or who wrote sarcastic, bombastic prayers in an attempt to be humorous.We Christians of all types are called to pray for our enemies. I believe this means sincere prayer. If I pray for Mr. Beck to have wisdom, and Godly guidance in his work that’s all I need to ask. I don’t need to “tell” God what constitutes wisdom or justice or grace.When I pray for friends who are divorcing I just pray for peace and divine guidance for both parties. I do not need to choose who is at fault and then pray that they “repent” of their errors. God can sort it out.Finally prayer changes me even if God does not answer it directly. Once I have sincerely prayed for an enemy it is harder to dismiss them as less than human or as disposable.

thebump

Try to follow the convoluted logic (air quotes) of this moonbat:”When your mind is wedded to orthodoxy, submission to authority… who needs government action…”Got that? If you are for limited government because you are unwilling to submit to the authority of a political elite — well it must be because you are submissive to authority.Our moonbat goes on to say that those who favor limited government are conformists. Got that? The other side — people who want political hacks and bureaucrats to regulate every aspect of our lives — they are the NON-conformists??? (Is your head hurting yet?)To say nothing of the fact that many conservative Christians are evangelicals and fundamentalists who explicitly REJECT human authority in matters of faith.I know, I know. It’s foolish to expect a moonbat to be informed, reasonable or coherent.

fredfawcett

It’s not a case of some of Christ’s followers going left and some going right. It’s a case of some people actually following the teachings of Jesus Christ and others doing what their anger tells them to do and claiming it’s His teaching.Just exactly what did Christ ever say or do that would lead a person to believe that torture was OK? Time to reread Mathew I think.

sthoffmann1

As an evangelical Christian I am much closer to Jim Wallis than to Glenn Beck. But David Waters is wrong to suggest that the connection between personal conversion and social justice is foreign to Jesus’ teaching. In Jesus’ summary of the law, absolute, personal commitment to God is the foundation of love of neighbor (with all of its implications for social justice). For anyone interested in this connection between personal conversion and devotion and social reform, I would commend (besides Wallis’ “Sojourners” organization) the Center for Public Justice and Evangelicals for Social Action.

dncthm1

For all those that say they believe in the true and living God through Jesus the scripture says this: to love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, soul, mind and with all thy strength. And love thy neighbor as thyself. If we just did this Love would abound.

Freethotlib

Mr. Beck’s primary goal is promoting Mr. Beck. The best way to do that is to assert that the nefarious left is after him because that activates the right (his audience) to rally to his defense. So, it is no surprise that Mr. Beck asserts Mr. Soros is after him. That said, I doubt Mr. Soros would bother with a low life like Beck because Beck will self destruct. In the end, GOD will judge and I believe he will judge Mr. Beck (and the right wing nuts) to be evil things and they (Mr. Beck and his worshippers) will dwell in the halls of Satan for ever. Bottom line, Beck is a little thing, somewhat akin to a slug. You can follow him by the slime trail he leaves as he travels.

coloradodog

OK, here goes:Dear Jesus,Bless Glenn Beck. Cleanse his heart from his Mormon homophobia, misogyny and racism. Open his eyes to the potential for violence he is instigating among Your followers. Protect our President from harm as a result of his daily anger and hatred. Protect our Nation from another civil war based on Beck’s wedge issues of abortion, homosexuality, illegal immigration, xenophobia, racism and religious intolerance. Bless him with gay grandchildren that he, like Richard B. Cheney, may open his cold, closed intolerant heart. Bless Glenn Beck, give him peace and give him another way to make millions instead of doing it by inflaming the weak minded masses who are angry, afraid and ready to pick up their guns against others because of his words. Amen.

Archarito

If one gets carjacked at gunpoint, is it appropriate to pray one doesn’t get killed? Yes it is!Those people in a euphoric daze with a la de da attitude thinking everything is going to be all right as they are carjacked may be accurate too in their own way; because they may soon meet their maker as one of those martyred and be in heaven, then they really won’t have anything to worry about other than being self assured their relationship with their maker warrants Him continuing the relationship on Judgment Day…Others feel they have work to do here on earth and wish to run their lives as though in a good race, and; prevail against those who would kill them…Glenn Beck is one of those who is running a good race and he gets and deserves prayer for exposing those who would do us in…Friends, believing things are going to get better here on earth in this day and age is wishful, but; ignorant thinking…Revelation speaks of those masses John saw dressed in white that were “martyred during the Great Tribulation.” Friends, masses of Christians will be martyred during the Great Tribulation. It is wise to hear those words and prepare yourselves, body and soul…

zeugma

All of the following are equivalent:I am tempted to call Glen Beck a verkrampte Old Testament Jeffersonian, but the label “Jeffersonian” doesn’t quite fit. Unlike modern conservatives, Jefferson believed in science.He earns my prayers, though. He must be grateful that the Reagan era is over; under Reagan, people like him were turned out into the street.

Ombudsman1

“There is a word for “individualist approach for solving problems”.”Yes, it’s called “personal responsibility”. Something that leaves a taste in some people’s mouth.Some of us subscribe to the theory that those of us who worked hard our and led a moderate life style are entitled to more than somebody who screwed around in high school, decided they didn’t like college, sort of bounced around screwing and drinking their entire life and then when they’re 45 decided, “Hey how come I don’t get the good life?”.Because you don’t deserve it.

donaldtucker

arancia12,i like your style.

rostatler

That book authored by the ‘feebulous four’ has been around for some 2000 years, and been quite a dud. In 21st Century wars we’ve killed more humans than in all the cumulative wars of centuries past. It’s time to smell the coffee burning and find a new library.–TAT

rosenfan1

Who wants to pray for a sick Glenn Beck who’s

stephenrhymer

Perhaps if both conservatives and liberals each actually practiced the tenants of their faith this country would be in much better shape.Instead, each side proof texts their position with bits and pieces of “scripture” in hopes of hammering home their position with some alleged moral backing form on high.What we really have is two sides bent on forcing their belief system on the rest of the world. to do it they will go to any length, including trying to set up a theocracy in place of our republic.If they only put as much energy into actually doing what their God and their religious texts tell them to do, we would be feeding the hungry (25% in Oklahoma), healing the sick, clothing the poor and taking care of our fellow man.I dare… in fact I double dog dare the so called Christian conservatives and the religious left to stop spending money fighting each other and put htat money and their time to doing as their Bible commands.It won’t happen because this isn’t about doing the morally right thing. It’s all about power and money.Neither side will give that up – not even for God.

rosenfan1

Beck is sick! He carries some responsibility

Archarito

Interestingly the following post was deleted. I try to repost it to see what happens… If one gets carjacked at gunpoint, is it appropriate to pray one doesn’t get killed? Yes it is!Those people in a euphoric daze with a la de da attitude thinking everything is going to be all right as they are carjacked may be accurate too in their own way; because they may soon meet their maker as one of those martyred and be in heaven, then they really won’t have anything to worry about other than being self assured their relationship with their maker warrants Him continuing the relationship on Judgment Day…Others feel they have work to do here on earth and wish to run their lives as though in a good race, and; prevail against those who would kill them…Glenn Beck is one of those who is running a good race and he gets and deserves prayer for exposing those who would do us in…Friends, believing things are going to get better here on earth in this day and age is wishful, but; ignorant thinking…Revelation speaks of those masses John saw dressed in white that were “martyred during the Great Tribulation.” Friends, masses of Christians will be martyred during the Great Tribulation. It is wise to hear those words and prepare yourselves, body and soul…

jaxas

Look, this is a pointless discussion. And your statistics are interesting but irrelevant. I am sure at one time back in the Dark Ages their equivalent of a punditicracy mused over the decline in the number of people who believed the earth was flat. And that probably prompted the flatearthers to take to the streets in their form of a tea party to protest this change in attitudes as an attack on traditional culture.The truly relevant point here is that all of the bubble and fizz in our polictics today, the harsh rhetoric, the anger and frustration of all of those hapless groups who showed up at the recent rally in Washington DC is nothing more than the death rattle of a dying culture–the culture on the right that has enjoyed a small measure of success in recent years in drawing attention to their traditional belief system which they believe is under attack.Well, it isn’t under attack. It is just no longer relevant to the times we live in any more than the flateathers and their geocentric view of the cosmos were relevant to the times our Founding Fathers were raised in during the Renaisaance.The hysterical rantings of those attending the Values Voters conference is yet another example. We have an economy in shambles due largely to a political system that gave far too much attention to “values” while some of conservatism’s favorite heroes were trashing those values with monumental selfishness and greed; we are involved in two wars neither of which sustained a reasoned debate that is wasting young lives and our national treasure; we have a debt situation so large that the only possible solution we face are drastic cuts in spending and significant tax increases on all brackets. Yet, the Family Research Council wants to divert our attention and scarce government resources to moral issues better left to our individual consciences.America is dying and this motley rabble wants to talk about abortion and gay marriage? The truth is that their culture is dying and once it has been relegated to the dust bins of history, maybe our media can begin to concentrate on the business at hand.

csintala79

Comparing these stated beliefs to scripture, the argument could be made that on half conservative Christians come down on the side of orthodoxy while progressives are aligned with the other half. What is interesting, though, is that on the half important to conservatives, e.g., abortion, little is said, while the issues dear to the progressives, e.g., poverty and loving one’s neighbor, receive the most attention by the Savior. Conservatives seem to concentrate, as has been true for centuries, on damnation, sin and punishment, while the progressives stress love, understanding and forgiveness. The Gospels are clear where Christ stood, and it wasn’t with the self-righteous Pharisees. His instruction was for each person to examine their own behavior and faith and not that of others. Each Christian is admonished to follow in the footsteps of Christ, not to herd others into His path. Many will follow if adherents set good examples; true faith does not follow from forced conversions.

HawkSprings

Why can’t the authors use the word “liberal” in this story?

Utahreb

Beck is a Christian? You sure couldn’t tell from his rants and ravings, lies and prevarications.People like Beck make decent Christians look bad.

khote14

“…conservative and progressive religious activists.”Even more than the “religious”, I dislike intensely the “activist.” Put these two together and you have an intolerable group of busybodies who seem to see no incongruity between their inability to manage their own lives and their desire to manage yours.

slim2

If G*d really does answer prayers, it could be good news for us and bad news for Beck.

WindSong

You Know God is in everything we do…God and everything has its place…God is the uncreated one God is creation we are star dust our bodies is the temple or church..with free will. Faith with out just actions is a worthless faith…with every action comes a reaction…Keep on praying..Never for get prayer is the key to the door way of Truth.May be if leaders would not follow those that would uphold abortion and Book’s like say B.F. Skinner BeYond Freedom & Dignity..May-be things would change..in my view as for Money and the way the world leaders uphold it so much maybe if they would understand it is worthless you can not eat it and to act on what the Jewish people understood like Haymn Solomon did we would not be having the bail outs if they would teach to clear the bank every 7 years as the Torah or Bible an or the instruction book says to do. things would change. Rush is right Go Dave Ramsey Down with Nationalism and credit cards.

ssol4569

”Health Care: 6% of conservatives think that the U.S. should have comprehensive national health insurance; 78% of progressive activists think we do.”Posted by: willemkraal | September 19, 2009 5:17 AM You just don’t get it and you chose not to. Republicans, Conservatives and Independents alike want healthcare reform, just not socialized. It’s not that difficult to understand. Here is a link to HR3400.

Hallaluya

hmmmmmmmmm

kare1

I do pray for Glenn Beck. Glenn Beck is an entertainer. He knows what vitriol people in some perverse ill-conceived Universe perceive American should be.I am not a Republican or Democrat, Indepdent or whatever. But I see the seeds of discontent being fed against any and all who do not meet the STANDARDS as set out by BECK and country.I truly cannot see Glenn Beck meeting his maker and getting a rousing welcome.As an Alcoholic (recovering for 22 years) I cannot believe that Glenn Beck (who has admitted to be an alcoholic ) has EVER been to an AA meeting because he does not live by any of the tenents laid out by that wonderful life-saving organization.He cannot be living the 12 steps as suggested by the program. That is why I pray for Glenn Beck.2. Came to belive that a power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.Here we have a person in Glenn Beck who claims that Alcoholic Anonymous Principles and while none of us are perfect, many of us who are successful in our recover DO NOT FIND THE NEED to be self-agrandizing and as virtrous as MR. Beck is. He appears to be just the opposite -egotistical and selfish. He continues to become more assertive and more demanding, and blames others for his shortcomings.There is a book called the Big Book that many AA people including myself use as second Bible. You can see examples of the Glenn Becks of the world as examples who claim they are clean and sober, but who have lost that ability to be humble and people-centric. The first step is to quit playing GOD, as if we were him.Glenn Beck needs to return to the roots of AA and begin once again and continue to take the oftern hard but crucial moral inventory of himself. Otherwise he is just a drunk- a dry junk – feeding his additction with his continued self-centered condemnations of all but what he believes in. He is now addicted to his own fame which is just as addictive as CRACK cocaine, methamphetamine and any of the other vices GOD created.

BlueTwo1

When your mind is wedded to orthodoxy, submission to authority, and belief in the power of prayer, who needs government action to fix what God and/or His Son will take care of in their own good time? It has often been said and it is true that God helps those who help themselves. Authoritarians gravitate to orthodox churches because the way they perceive their own behavior (as conforming) permits them to feel and act superior to non-conformists. It also permits them to fabricate evidence and argue from baseless positions. The credulous buy whatever the authoritarians are selling. Facts don’t matter. Logic doesn’t matter. Conformity matters. If you ask a conformist why he or she so fervently opposes abortion you get arguments about baby killing and the immorality of it all. There are sometimes mitigating factors like the health of the mother and the baby being born to a short and very painful life followed by death. But these complicate the simple argument that abortion is wrong under all circumstances. It is God’s Will, after all. People are ill-advised to go against what they insist is God’s Will.

leftcoastblue

Glenn Beck is a mentally unstable hate-monger who wears a mask of piety. He needs more than prayers. He needs a straightjacket.

papafritz57

To: Do you feel the same way about everything our government funds, like the military, national highways and rails, national parks and battlefields, education, security, justice, scientific research, our rivers and swamplands, our agriculture, etc, etc, etc. All of these entities are government funded and yes socialized.

Farnaz1Mansouri1

These Christian/Catholic conservatives pose a problem for us all. Beck, Hannity, O’Reilly, Limbaugh, Dobbs are best honored in the breach.

ccnl1

Hmmm, Beck, Hannity, O’Reilly, Limbaugh, and Dobbs have been implicated in a murder?? References please!!!And just who is this Carstonio fellow??

Carstonio

“In other words, conservatives subscribe to a personal salvation gospel, progressives to a social salvation gospel.”If that’s true, what are the reasons for this? Perhaps conservatives believe in the Just World hypothesis. I’m in the middle politically and I see that hypothesis as a fallacy. Sometimes responsible people suffer and irresponsible people prosper. We’re not in charge of our individual fates – we can control only our own decisions and actions.

MycroftH

Anyone who believes the Constitution establishes “legal secularism” hasn’t read it. It establishes the freedom to say what we want and believe what we want without legal imposition of either religion or secularism. The core idea is that no one’s viewpoint should be permitted to exclude any other’s from public debate. What that means is, everyone should be able to rant about their Christian or Secular perspectives from now one, and that is as it should be.Trivia Question: Which provision of the Bill of Rights uses the phrase “separation of church and state.”Trivia Question: What legislative history or legal document was relied upon by Justice Hugo Black in his discussion of the phrase “separation of church and state.”

GaryPernice

Glen Beck has returned to something known as research journalism—searching out facts and witnesses to newsworthy events and then reporting the findings. ABC, NBC, CBS, CNN, CNBC, and MSNBC are, for the most part, really editorial pages masquerading as news outlets. CNN Headline News and Fox News tend to have some balance in reporting the news. Fox News differs from the other outlets referenced above. Fox News has its opinionated commentators also, but these folks tend to identify themselves as “columnists” and “commentators” without the pretense of giving a news report.It is sad to report that America is truly a divided nation. A nation divided against itself cannot stand too long. I suspect that Glen Beck is willing to risk it all to restore America to its principals of the Founding Fathers and attempt to defeat those whose radical agenda seeks to divide this nation. If Mr. Beck is successful, there may be some healing in our land. If he fails, it will serve as a warning to others that reporting unsavory facts of those in powerful places can end your career.I met Mr. Beck in 2003. He’s truly an affable fellow. I believe his motives are good: restore America to a principled core. Time will tell if his efforts are worth the cost.Gary Pernice

‘Health Care: 6% of conservatives think that the U.S. should have comprehensive national health insurance; 78% of progressive activists think we do.”If I were sick, I wonder how many Conservative ‘Christians’ would pray for me and how many would be ‘ to busy ‘ making money. I have one such in my family and yes I need medical care and not getting it. So I actually know the answer to this rhetorical question. He is a deacon and a elder in the church we grew up in he also works for a Pharmaceutical company. I am homeless. He is as mean as any mythical puritan and would banish his own flesh and blood to the wilderness to die and scarf up a few coins left to ALL of us by our dead parents for himself.